Glossary
The terms get used interchangeably, but they're different. Closed captions (CC) are designed for viewers who can't hear the audio: they include speaker labels, sound effects, and music cues. Subtitles assume the viewer can hear and just need help following the dialogue (e.g., a foreign-language film, or noisy environment viewing). Pick the right one for your audience and accessibility requirements.
What closed captions include
Beyond just the spoken words, captions include: speaker labels ("Sarah:", "James:"), sound effects ([door slams], [phone rings]), music cues ([upbeat music plays]), and tone notes when they affect meaning ([whispered], [shouted]). Closed captions are required by accessibility law in many jurisdictions (US: ADA, FCC; EU: EAA) for broadcast and most online video at scale. They are also referenced by WCAG audio captions guidelines.
What subtitles include
Just the spoken dialogue. No sound effects, no speaker labels (unless ambiguous), no music cues. Designed for viewers who can hear but want help: foreign-language films, audio they can't turn up (commute viewing, late-night quiet), accented dialogue. Often translated — "English subtitles for a French film" is the canonical case.
Open vs closed
Closed means the viewer can toggle them on/off — captions live in a separate SRT or VTT file referenced by the player. Open captions are burned into the video pixels — always visible, can't be turned off. Social-media videos (TikTok, Reels) typically use open/burn-in for higher engagement; YouTube and HTML5 video use closed/sidecar so users can toggle. See burn-in vs sidecar.
In practice
If you're publishing a YouTube tutorial, generate closed captions (SRT with speaker labels) so deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers can follow along — and so YouTube indexes the content for search. If you're publishing a foreign-language film with English assistance for hearing viewers, generate subtitles (no speaker labels needed, just dialogue translation).
Related terms
Further reading
Add captions to a video
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does Closed captions vs subtitles mean in transcription?
Closed captions include non-speech audio (music cues, sound effects, speaker labels) for the deaf and hard-of-hearing. Subtitles assume the viewer can hear and only translate spoken dialogue.
Why does Closed captions vs subtitles matter when choosing a transcription workflow?
Closed captions vs subtitles affects how you understand transcript quality, timing, compatibility, or the technology behind speech-to-text results.
Where can I apply Closed captions vs subtitles on Transcript.you?
Use the related workflow at /add-captions-to-video when you want to see how this glossary concept connects to an actual transcription task.
Browse the full transcription glossary or read the complete guide to AI transcription.